Chapter 1 | The Return To Home

SIENNA

I didn’t want to come back.

I kept telling myself it was just a few days. Just one week. My brother’s wedding… and then I’d go back to my life in the city like nothing ever happened. Like this place didn’t exist. Like he didn’t exist.

I leaned my head against the car window, watching the city lights slowly fade behind us. The roads were getting emptier now. Darker. The familiar rush of traffic had turned into long, quiet stretches of highway surrounded by trees. Too quiet.

I exhaled slowly, pulling my shawl tighter around myself. “You okay back there, miss? You’ve been quiet the whole way.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I mumbled, forcing a small smile. “Just… tired.”

Truth was, I was anything but fine. My stomach had been in knots since I packed my bag two days ago. Grandma’s old house in the city had felt safe for so long after Mom and Dad died. The accident took them when I was only ten, and Daxtor, who was twenty one at the time, stayed behind with Grandpa to keep the family business running. 

Me? Grandma took me with her to the city for a “fresh start.” I got used to the noise, the crowds, the way no one knew my sad story. It was easier there. But now Grandma was gone too, and Daxtor’s wedding was pulling me back whether I liked it or not.

And then there was him. Cassian Nightbane. 

Even thinking his name made something twist uncomfortably in my chest. My brother’s best friend. The man I had avoided my entire life. The man I dreaded. 

I shut my eyes tightly, trying to push the memories away- but they came anyway.

———

“Why are you even here?” His voice had always been like that. Cold. Sharp. Like every word was meant to cut. I was fourteen, standing in the hallway, holding a tray of tea I had made for everyone.

“I-I just brought tea…” I whispered, avoiding his eyes. He didn’t even take it. Just looked at me like I was… nothing, like I was something that disgusted him.

“Next time, don’t.” The tray had slipped slightly in my hands, my fingers trembling.

“I didn’t ask for it and never fucking show up in front of me.”

I opened my eyes quickly, my breath slightly uneven. He had always been like that. Always so cold. Rude. Harsh. With everyone, maybe… but especially with me. I never understood why. I never did anything to him. 

He hated me for some reason I could never figure out. Even when I tried to stay out of his way, he’d find me and say something harsh, or just brush me off like I was nothing. It hurt every single time.

He always found a way to make me feel small. Unwanted. Like I didn’t belong. And maybe… I didn’t. After my parents died, everything changed anyway. I was too young to even remember the accident properly. Just flashes. Loud noise. Screaming and then ….. Darkness.

After that, my brother stayed back here… with our grandfather, taking over responsibilities way too early. And I? I was sent away. To the city. With my grandmother. “Fresh start,” they said. “Better life.” Maybe it was.

The city was loud, busy, full of strangers who didn’t know me. Didn’t judge me. Didn’t look at me like I was… different. And slowly, I got used to it. I built a life there. A quiet one. Simple. Safe.

But after my grandmother passed away… I had no reason to stay. Still, I did. Because coming back here meant facing everything I had spent years avoiding. Him. That’s why I stopped going back. Years passed without me visiting. Daxtor understood… mostly. He thought it was because I loved city life. I never told him the real reason …..was his best friend. Maybe he knew and never really insisted on me staying back either …

I swallowed hard, shifting in my seat. “How much time’s left?” I asked softly. “Half an hour,” the driver replied. My fingers tightened around my phone. Thirty minutes… and I’d be back in that house. Back where he was.

I looked out the window again. The road had gotten narrower now. Trees on both sides. No street lights. Just the car’s headlights cutting through the darkness. Suddenly, a strange  feeling settled in my chest.

Uneasy. Like something wasn’t right. “Uncle… Is this road always this empty?” I asked quietly. “Yes, It’s a shortcut. Don’t worry.”

Don’t worry. Easy for him to say that with such calmness. I hugged myself slightly, trying to ignore the way my heartbeat had started picking up for no reason.

Then- I heard ….. A sound. It was low, …… Deep like a …. A growl. My head snapped up. “Did you hear that?” The driver frowned. “What?” My eyes snapped around to find what noise that was. “That sound…”

Before he could answer- Something slammed into the front of the car. “OH MY GOD-!” The car jerked violently as the driver lost control for a second, swerving to the side before hitting the brakes hard.

My whole body lurched forward, the seatbelt digging painfully into my chest. “What was that?!” I gasped, my heart racing uncontrollably. The engine was still running, but everything else felt… wrong.

Everything suddenly went ….. Too still. Too quiet. The driver tried to look ahead, his hands shaking slightly. “I Don’t know-” Another growl. Louder this time and even more …. Closer. My breath hitched. “No… no no…”

Something moved in front of the headlights. And then I saw it. A wolf. But not like any wolf I had ever seen before.

It was huge. Too big. Its eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, locked directly onto the car. And it was staring at us. At me. My breath caught. “That’s… not normal,” I whispered. The wolf took a step forward. Then another.

Slow.

Deliberate.

Like it knew we couldn’t escape. “Start the car!” I shouted. “I’m trying!” the driver said, panic rising in his voice. The engine refused.  “No no no, please-!” My hands trembled as I quickly grabbed my phone, trying to dial my brother’s number.

“Pick up… pick up please…” I whispered desperately.

The call rang. And rang. And rang.

The wolf suddenly lunged. “AAAHHH!” It slammed into the side of the car, making me scream as the entire vehicle shook violently. The driver cursed, trying to push the door open- But the wolf attacked again.

Claws scratching against metal. Teeth snapping. “Oh my God… oh my God…” I cried, tears streaming down my face as my hands shook uncontrollably. The call disconnected. “No… please…”

Another hit and the glass cracked. “Get down!” the driver shouted. But before I could move- The door on his side burst open and the wolf dragged him out. His scream echoed into the night.

“NO-!” I covered my mouth, sobbing, unable to move as I watched him struggle. Blood. There was so much blood. My whole body was frozen. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Run. RUN.

My mind screamed at me, and finally, my body listened. I pushed the door open and stumbled out of the car, my legs shaking so badly I could barely stand. I didn’t even look back and just ran.

Tears blurred my vision as I tried to move as fast as I could, my heels making it harder. “Help! Someone help me!” I screamed into the empty road.

No answer. Of course. No one was there. My foot slipped- … and I tripped hard, falling onto the rough road with a painful gasp. “Ahh-!” Pain shot through my hands and knees, but I didn’t care. I turned quickly-

Silence.

The growling had stopped. My breath came out in short, shaky gasps as I pushed myself up slightly, my heart pounding violently. Did it… go away? Please let it be gone…

I forced myself to stand slowly, my body trembling as I looked around. Nothing. Just darkness and silence. I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself. “I-it’s gone…” I whispered, more to convince myself than anything.

Maybe it ran off. Maybe- but before I knew, I heard a low growl above me. Chills ran down my spine and I lifted my head slowly. And my blood ran cold.

The wolf was on top of the car. Its glowing eyes staring straight at me. Waiting. Watching. A scream tore from my throat. I stumbled back, shaking my head violently.

“No-please-!”

It crouched and was ready to jump. There was no escape. My death was right in front of me. Tears slipped down my cheeks as I closed my eyes tightly, bracing myself- ….. But nothing happened.

I did not feel any pain, any attack but …. Just… Silence. Confused, trembling, I slowly opened my eyes….. And that’s when I saw him. Standing between me and the wolf.

Tall.

Broad.

Still. Like he had appeared out of nowhere. My breath caught. He was… beautiful. In a terrifying way. Dark hair fell slightly over his neck. Strong and broad shoulders. A presence that made everything else feel small. But it was his eyes that froze me.

Red.

Glowing.

No- it was …. Not normal. Not human. My heart slammed painfully against my ribs. “What… what are you…?” I whispered, my voice barely there. He didn’t answer. His gaze stayed locked on the wolf.

Cold. Deadly. Then- he moved. Too fast. I gasped as he grabbed the wolf mid-air, slamming it to the ground with a force that shook the road beneath us. The sounds that followed-

I didn’t want to hear them. The sound of bones cracking. Growling. Something tearing- I covered my ears, shaking my head as tears streamed down my face. “Stop… please stop…” But he didn’t.

He didn’t stop until everything went quiet. Too quiet. Slowly… I lowered my hands. He was standing now. Breathing heavily.

There was … blood on his hands. On his clothes and the wolf… wasn’t moving. My stomach twisted violently. This wasn’t real. This couldn’t be real- How could a human looking human- kill such a huge monster with … bare hands- I might be losing mind-

He turned and … looked at me. Those red eyes locked onto mine. And something in his expression changed.

Sharp.

Dark. Hungry.

Like he had just noticed me for the first time. My breath hitched as my eyes widened, realizing who that person really was. I stepped back instinctively as the man stepped into the moonlight and I saw … the man, I hated the most- feared the most- more than the wolf. Cassian. 

“D-don’t come near me…” My voice broke. My tears fell like waterfall as a choked sob escaped my lips but he didn’t stop. He took a step closer. Then another.

Like he couldn’t control it. Like something was pulling him toward me. His jaw clenched, his chest rising sharply as if he was fighting himself. “No…” he muttered under his breath. “Not her…”

Fear wrapped around me completely. My vision blurred and everything felt too heavy. My heart could not bear anymore. It was- Too loud. Too much. “Stay away…” I whispered weakly, my legs giving out beneath me.

The last thing I saw before everything went black-…. Was him standing over me… and his arms around me, holding me from falling on the ground.